Ben Carson Threatens to Leave Republican Party

WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidential hopeful Ben Carson is threatening to leave the Republican Party.

The retired neurosurgeon issued a statement Friday morning condemning reports of a closed-door meeting of Republican establishment leaders earlier in the week. The Washington Post reported the group, including Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, discussed the possibility of a "brokered convention" if there isn't a clear winner in the party's months long primary election season.

Carson said, "if this was the beginning of a plan to subvert the will of the voters and replace it with the will of the political elite, I assure you Donald Trump will not be the only one leaving the party."

Spokesman Doug Watts said Carson signed a pledge not to launch a third-party bid only if Republican leaders "play by the rules."

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